Prayer and Reflections 9th August 

Prayer for this week

Father God, there are so many decisions to make and I don't seem to know what is the best for now or for the future. You said if we lack wisdom, all we need to do is ask you. I really need you to pour wisdom into my mind today. Thank you! Amen 

In our prayers :- John and Jules Johns mum passed away last week 

For all the folk affected in whatever way by the tragedy in Beirut 

Reflection 1

82 years in Providence with just 2 years break due to National Service holding every office from marking star cards in SS to Church Steward and everything in between excluding treasurer, The changes have been extensive When a young lad through to late teens Sunday School 9:30 and 2pm , Church Hall centre was full for Sunday School and morning and evening worship. 11:45 and 6pm Building a new Church with a congregation 50 ish morning and evening both with junior choir in the morning senior choir at night And now for the first time closure, 6th March was my last service. Like the Israelites we have been taken captive, captive of COVID-19 finding ourselves in a strange land I'm reminded of the Boney M song “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion Psalm 137:1” 

Through modern technology and a team of knowledgeable guys we have been able to worship each Sunday, our Ministers and Local Preachers have had online congregations 100 plus each Sunday Being honest I will be sad to see the virtual services finish, I confess the only thing I've missed are the people, folk I consider to be my extended family. Meeting a member in Mary Stevens Park he said “he would be glad to get back to church and meet folk” When we do return to Providence will it be the same as March 6th ? As I write, David and his team have to complete a Risk Assessment, no hymn singing , no Communion, one way system, safe distancing , safe exit, wear masks I guess the answer is no worship will be different. Martyn Filsak’s evening sermon couple of weeks ago was centered on faith and the mustard seed , He encouraged us to keep the faith Whatever the future holds I know Paul’s Blessing 2Corinthians 12 v 14 will apply “The grace of the Lord Jesus The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit will be with each one of us during this difficult time” Derek 

Reflection 2

The other week during high winds I heard a loud bang on the window when I looked out and went out to see what had happened I found a fledgling baby bird on the ground quite dazed and a bit battered and bruised. I watched to see what the mother bird was going to do. She kept coming and calling to the fledging and it responded to her calls This went on all afternoon however, the baby bird didn't move I got concerned that a cat would come along and have it, so, I got a box put some tissue in put the bird In the box and put it out of harms way 

Slowly the little bird got used to me it allowed me to feed it and it became quite partial to raisins and granola it would sit on the wall and begin chirping for food 

I was reminded of how in life things can happen and we too can be blown off course, It occurred to me that our God is concerned for each one of us and will watch over us and if we allow him and trust him he will lead us to the place of safety and care for us. There are many instances in scripture where this is the case But for each of us individually it is whether or not we are prepared to put our trust in him. If that little bird hadn't trusted me then he could have ended up as a Cat's dinner. Dave